15 August 2024
3 in 10 parents say their children are eating less fruit than they were last year, according to a new survey from FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity tackling food waste for social good, run by YouGov.
““In the UK, a huge amount of fresh produce, both fruit and vegetables, is wasted on farms every year when it’s still perfectly good to eat. We need the new government to partner with the redistribution sector to deliver more food to people in need - our manifesto outlines how this can be done. We need their support to help get more nutritious food to children and help give them the best possible start in life.””
George Wright, CEO at FareShare
The survey results showed that a third of parents (34%) were buying less fresh fruit now than a year ago as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on household budgets.
A quarter of parents also said that their children would eat less fresh fruit during the summer holidays, at a time when families face additional costs for childcare and food while schools are closed.
Despite the results, almost all the survey respondents (89%) recognised the positive impact of a diet rich in fresh fruit on the health and wellbeing of their children.
In response to the findings, FareShare is calling on the new Government to help turbo charge the redistribution of surplus food, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. This is at a time when almost 3 million tonnes of fresh produce goes to waste on UK farms every year, despite it still being perfectly good to eat.
FareShare works with the food industry, including retailers, wholesalers and producers, to redistribute good-to-eat surplus food to over 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK. Many of these groups work tirelessly to support children and their families.
In the last year, FareShare redistributed over 5,000 tonnes of fresh fruit, including strawberries to Southampton, bananas to Barnsley, and grapes to Glasgow.
The fruit provided by FareShare is used by charities, including youth groups, school breakfast clubs, and community centres. It is also used in snacks, picnics, cookery classes, and even by one organisation, Sprouts Community Food Charity in Teesside, to make smoothies using a specially designed “smoothie bike.”
Kerry Lock (PhD), nutritional therapist and manager of ‘Nourish and Flourish’, a programme developed and run by Oxfordshire charity SOFEA, one of FareShare’s network partners, said: “The results of this survey are really worrying.
“Access to fruit and vegetables is essential for our children’s healthy development and growth, strengthening the immune system, enhancing the academic performance in terms of concentration and memory – as well as provisioning fibre essential for a healthy digestive system. Establishing healthy eating habits at an early age is crucial for long term health and well-being, to help avoid chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.”
Debbie Fixter, manager of Sprouts Community Food Charity in Teesside, which receives food from FareShare, said: “We often have people telling us that they would love to be able to buy the fruits the children like but just can’t afford it.
“Given the current cost of living and the financial constraints many people are under, being able to provide affordable fruits as snacks really helps parents and carers. We can encourage healthy snacking habits from a young age, potentially reducing the risk of childhood obesity and related health issues.”
George Wright, CEO of FareShare, said: “Thousands of the charities within our network are working extremely hard every day to support children and families impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. It is really worrying that so many children are struggling to access fresh fruit and, therefore, maintain healthy diets.
“In the UK, a huge amount of fresh produce, both fruit and vegetables, is wasted on farms every year when it’s still perfectly good to eat. We need the new government to partner with the redistribution sector to deliver more food to people in need - our manifesto outlines how this can be done. We need their support to help get more nutritious food to children and help give them the best possible start in life.”
FareShare is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and recently launched its manifesto, “Where’s the Food? Strengthening Communities Through Surplus Food Redistribution.” In it, the charity calls on the new government to make it easier for businesses to donate surplus food. It sets out plans that, if implemented, would significantly reduce food waste, support communities in need, and foster a more sustainable food system.
To support FareShare’s manifesto, visit: www.fareshare.org.uk/manifesto
